January 28, 2010

Improving Idaho's Educational System

Host Joan Cartan-Hansen looks at proposals to improve Idaho's education system. Cartan-Hansen will be joined by two directors of the Education Alliance of Idaho, Skip Oppenheimer and Bob Lokken, and by Jamie MacMillian, executive director of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation.

The Education Alliance of Idaho has some lofty goals. They include:

Idaho will be in the top 20 states in the rigor and relevance of its math and science requirements

Idaho will have broadband connectivity to every public school

All of the state's high school students will have the opportunity to graduate with up to 30 college general education or professional-technical credits

60 percent of high school students will register as full- or part-time college students within one year of graduation

But how realistic are these proposals - especially on the heels of Gov. Otter's recent recommendation for budget cuts within the state's public schools? In these tight budget times, how will we pay for the proposals? And if we don't make these changes, what will happen to Idaho's students?